This invention relates to toy devices, and specifically to a toy devices which produce an effect similar to that of a kaleidoscope.
Kaleidoscopes have existed for many years. These devices typically contain loose bits of colored glass or plastic positioned between two flat transparent plates. Two plane mirrors are positioned so that changes in the configuration of the glass particles are reflected in endless procession of variegated designs. The colored glass bits and mirrors are positioned within an elongated tube wherein the glass bits are positioned at one end of the tube and a viewing eye piece or opening is positioned at an opposite end of the tube.
In use, these kaleidoscopes are manually manipulated so that the end containing the glass bits is directed towards a light source and the tube rotated to cause the repositioning of the glass bits, and therefore a different appearance of the reflected pattern viewed by an operator. This type of manual manipulation however can not be accomplished by an infant, as an infant typically can not physically handle the tube, can not co-ordinate the direction of the tube towards a light source, and can not co-ordinate the rotation of the tube to cause a change in the viewable pattern through the movement of the glass bits.
Kaleidoscopes have also been devised with transparent spheres rather than pieces of glass bits between transparent plates, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,452,363, 4,120,116 and 3,383,150. These kaleidoscopes however must still be manually manipulated to rotate the sphere, to position the eye piece adjacent one""s eye for viewing, and to point the kaleidoscope at a light source. Hence, these kaleidoscopes also may not be utilized by an infant.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for a visually stimulating toy device which may be manipulated by an infant having minimal motor skill co-ordinations. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.
In a preferred form of the invention a toy device comprises a housing having an upper side and a lower side opposite the upper side, a rotatable member mounted to the housing so as to project outwardly from the housing lower side, and an annular array of reflective surfaces positioned upon the housing upper side and concentrically about the rotatable member. The housing has a size and shape so that the device may be stably positioned upon a substantially horizontal, planar underlying surface with the rotatable member and a portion of the housing contacting the underlying surface with the annular array of reflective surfaces facing generally upwardly. With this construction, a child may move the device across the underlying surface to cause the rotation of the rotatable member, with the image of the rotatable member being reflected upwardly by the annular array of reflective surfaces.